Rail-bond.



PATENTED NOV. 15, 1904.

E. P. HOWE. RAIL BOND.

APPLICATION FILED FEB.23, 1904 H0 MODEL.

wizzessea.

UNITED STATES Patented November 15, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD P. HOWE, OF NEWBURYPORT, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO CHASE-SHAI/VMUT (10., OF NEWBURYPORT, MASSACHUSETTS, A COR- PORATION OF MAINE.

RAIL-BOND.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 775,082, dated November 15, 1904.

Application filed February 23, 1904.

To all whmn it 7771(11/ concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD P. HOWE. of Newburyport, county of Essex, State of assachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Rail-Bonds, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to rail-bonds of the type adapted to be soldered to the rails and comprising a flexible intermediate portion and a pair of flat rail-engaging feet. Heretofore a plate of solder has been attached at one end by solder to the bottom of each flat foot, and in practice a more secure method of attaching these plates is desirable, as the solder connection is easily broken in shipping and the plates lost. Furthermore. the means employed for attaching the plates to the feet should be such that the unattached portions may be bent outward for the purpose of applying the soldering fluid without liability of detaching them from the feet.

To this end my invention consists in a railbond having a flexible intermediate portion and a pair of flat feet and a plate of solder attached to the bottom of each flat foot by a rivet, which may be made of solder and which passes entirely through the foot, said plate of solder having an upturned lip at its outer end, which overlies the end of the foot and assists in keeping the plate in correct position until the bond is applied to the rail, and when the bond is applied to the rail the excess of solder at the end incident to the provision of said lip acts to prevent undue leakage of solder from the end of the ferrule while the heat and pressure is applied.

Figure 1 shows in plan view a rail-bond enibodying this invention. Fig. 2 shows the railbond in side elevation. Fig. 3 shows the railbond in longitudinal vertical section and slim ing particularly the rivet holding the plate of solder, while the end portions thereof are turned outward for the application of a soldering fluid. Fig. A is a transverse section of the rail-bond, taken through one of the railengaging feet.

The flexible intermediate portion a com- Serial No. 194,721. (No model.)

prises several strips of copper. yet so far as the present invention is concerned said intermediate portion may be otherwise constructed. A ferrule Z) incloses each end of the mtermediate portion a to provide the bond with flat rail-engaging feet, yet said rail-engaging feet may be otherwise constructed. The ends of the intermediate portion and the ferrule are dipped in solder, and thereby secured together.

0 represents a plate of solder which is attached to the bottom of each rail-engaging foot, and herein said plate of solder is attached to the foot by a rivet c, which may be composed of solder and which passes entirely through the foot and plate. The plate 0 has an upturned lip c at its outer end, which overlies the end of the rail-engaging foot. ll'hile the bond is being shipped the'upturned lip 0 holds the plate 0 from turning on the rivet, and when applying the bond said upturned lip provides an excess of solder at the end of the ferrule, which prevents undue leakage thereat when heat and pressure is applied.

To apply the soldering fluid, the end portions of the plate 0 will be bent outward, as shown in Fig. 3, and thereafter bent back again, and the rivet holds the plate securely while this is being done.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A rail-bond having a flexible intermediate portion, a pair of rail-engaging feet, a ferrule inclosing each of said feet, plates of solder attached to the bottoms of said ferrules by rivets and having upturned lips at their outer ends which overlie the ends of the feet and prevent said plates of solder from turning on the rivets, substantially as described.

2. A rail-bond having a flexible intermediate portion, a pair of rail-engaging feet, a ferrule inclosing each of said feet, plates of solder attached to the bottoms of said ferrules by fusible rivets, said plates having upturned lips at their outer ends which overlie the ends of the feet and are thereby prevented from turning on the rivets, substantially as described.

3. A rail-bond having a flexible intermediate portion, a pair of rail-engaging feet, plates 1 to this specification in the presence of tWo su bof solder attached to the middle of said feet scribing Witnesses. by means of solder rivets, said plates having upturned lips at their outer ends Which over- EDWARD P. HOWE.

5 lie the ends of the feet, substantially as de- Witnesses:

scribed. l/VM. G. STUART, In testimony whereof I have signed my name ERNEST Foss. 

